Twenty years ago, the then soon-to-be-launched McLaren F1 GTR began testing ahead of an assault on the 1995 GT season. The track derivative, as the road-going version had done, rewrote the rule book and the claimed victories and titles across the globe in the years that followed, securing a place in motorsport folklore. Two decades on, and the covers have been pulled off the dramatic and purposeful McLaren P1™ GTR design concept during a private event at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance event in California. The aggressive racing concept is a preview to the final model which, with a little under a year until production commences, has now entered the next phase as the development team works to hone and further optimise the ultimate track-focused racer.

With no need to meet the legislations for road legality, the McLaren P1™ GTR will be the most track-tailored and most powerful model produced by McLaren Special Operations to date, with a clear target even more focused than its road-going sibling: to be the best driver’s car in the world on track. With even greater emphasis on aerodynamic performance through the dramatic bodywork, the McLaren P1™ GTR will also feature race-proven slick tyres, a fixed ride height, enhanced power delivery from the IPAS powertrain and Formula 1™-derived DRS from the large, fixed rear wing and an ERS-style push-to-pass system, all combining to offer the ultimate track experience.

Aerodynamically optimised to offer more extreme performance

Based on the McLaren P1™ road car, the track-focused McLaren P1™ GTR design concept further optimises the aerodynamically efficient ‘shrink-wrapped’ body shape in order to offer maximum performance, superior handling characteristics and optimised driver engagement on track. A host of changes have been made, and the car has been thoroughly re-engineered from the ground up to ensure the McLaren P1™ GTR achieves its target of being the ultimate drivers’ car on track.

The front track of the McLaren P1™ GTR design concept has been increased by 80mm and is coupled with a more aggressive GT-style front splitter. Reprofiled low temperature radiator ducts seamlessly flow into the leading edge of the aggressively flared front wheelarches, while the active aerodynamic flaps are retained from the McLaren P1™ in the floor ahead of the front wheels.

The bodywork is ‘shrink-wrapped’ around the carbon fibre MonoCage chassis behind the front wheels, and is designed to channel the air from around the wheel well. An additional aerodynamic blade is located behind the wheelarch to clean the air from the front tyres. This aero device flows seamlessly along the bottom edge of the dihedral doors, along the flank of the carbon fibre bodywork, to an additional side panel at the rear which ducts additional air into the high temperature radiator and improves the aerodynamic performance of the rear floor.

The profile of the McLaren P1™ GTR design concept remains as dramatic as ever, hunkered down on to the race-prepared suspension with a fixed ride height, lower than the standard car. The snorkel air intake, inspired by the design of the original McLaren F1, is still present within the roof structure of the carbon fibre MonoCage chassis. The wing mirrors have been repositioned to the A pillars, to put them closer to the eye line of the driver and reduce aerodynamic drag, while the trailing edge of the door-mounted radiator channels have been extended to draw more air down through the cavity within the door, and into the engine to aid cooling.

A set of lightweight 19-inch motorsport alloy wheels are fitted – 10.5-inches wide at the front, 13-inches at the rear – and are secured into place with quick-release centre locking nuts. Tyre changes are made easier through an onboard air jacking system, similar to that seen on the McLaren 650S GT3 racer.

At the rear, a large, twin-element wing is mounted on dramatic carbon fibre pylons which extend around the rear of the bodywork. This fixed height wing is fitted with a hydraulically operated Drag Reduction System (DRS) to boost acceleration performance, and has been honed to provide increased levels of downforce compared to the road car, working with the active aerodynamic flaps located ahead of the front wheels. The active aerodynamic devices optimise aerodynamic balance through all phases of cornering. The bodywork of the car has been reprofiled to improve aerodynamic efficiency below the large rear wing, and incorporates a quick-release system without affecting the rear wing. The road legal McLaren P1™ stows the rear wing within the bodywork, but with the fixed height wing, and therefore no pistons or moving mechanical parts, the bodywork of the McLaren P1™ GTR design concept behind the engine bay is now a smooth, flowing surface, feeding clean air below the wing and over the back of the car.

Below the rear wing sits the exposed, centrally mounted exhaust, which is an all new design, developed exclusively for the McLaren P1™ GTR. Made from inconel and titanium alloy, the system maximises the aural characteristic of the higher output 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 engine to maintain, and further emphasise, the McLaren sound. The design of the exhaust has also changed, with a straight cut twin pipe setup now used in place of the single exit exhaust.

Airflow is managed carefully across the whole car and channelled in the most efficient and effective ways possible. This includes the air below the car, and a large carbon fibre diffuser dominates the lower half of the rear of the car. This is designed to work in tandem with the rear wing to enhance rear downforce and grip levels. The McLaren P1™ GTR design concept runs on the bespoke slick tyres designed by technical partners Pirelli in collaboration with McLaren, designed to offer a greater level of grip, cornering agility and handling balance. These characteristics enable much later braking into corners, higher apex speeds, and the earlier application of the throttle on the exit of corners, which lead to improved lap times.

Modern interpretation is more than just a family resemblance

The design concept unveiled at Pebble Beach wears a livery which harks back to the original McLaren to wear the GTR badge. During the rigorous testing programme for the F1 GTR, the test car, chassis #01R, originally wore a distinctive orange and silver livery. This colour scheme has been reinterpreted for the model, with the number, 01, signifying the original chassis number. That car eventually went on to take the coveted win at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The McLaren P1™ GTR driver programme

Launching with the McLaren P1™ GTR design concept is the bespoke McLaren P1™ GTR driver programme – the ultra-exclusive ownership programme which will include specialist driver training, human performance and access to the McLaren racing simulator, and which is designed to prepare each driver mentally and physically to fully exploit the abilities of the McLaren P1™ GTR. The programme will be completely bespoke, with each individual having a fully-tailored experience.

The McLaren P1™ GTR driver programme promises to be one of the most exclusive owners’ clubs in the world and will offer an unrivalled ownership experience. McLaren Special Operations will maintain and run all cars, and manage the programme throughout. Together with one of the most exciting track-focused cars ever developed, the programme offers unprecedented access to the technologies, resources and people throughout the McLaren Technology Centre. Every experience will be unique and tailored specifically, providing a full immersion into McLaren, and gaining access to the experiences and resources which have helped develop and train Formula 1™ champions. This will include working closely with a support team comprising authentic professionals that have operated within the rarefied world of professional motor sport. These will all be experts in their respective fields, all boasting top-level international experience from the Human Performance Programme, race engineers, designers and test drivers.

Read Press Release 2

Latest track-focused model from McLaren GT to make world debut at 11.00BST, Friday 27 June

McLaren P1™ and 650S to feature in the Supercar Paddock

McLaren Mercedes driver Jenson Button to pilot the latest model up the famous Goodwood Hill

Models from the past, present and future of McLaren, including a global premiere, will be on show as the brand demonstrates its addiction to winning at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed later this month. As part of this display, the covers will be pulled off the latest generation competitive track-focused racer to carry the McLaren name in the shadows of the famous Goodwood House, and a stone’s throw from the hallowed Goodwood Circuit, at 11.00 BST, Friday 27 June.

In a new location for 2014, adjacent to the TAG Heuer Drivers’ Club, the McLaren House will demonstrate the brand’s focus on pushing boundaries and drive for constant improvement. It will be home to examples of the recently launched 650S Coupe and Spider, as well as the McLaren P1™. With each of the 375 production models sold, every example of the McLaren P1™ is special, but the featured model is arguably the most famous – and a winner in its own right. Registered P1 OOV, and codenamed ‘PP3’, the Amethyst Black model featured on BBC Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson, who named it his ‘Car of the Year’. Alongside this, will be one of the earliest examples of McLaren’s successful racers, and one of only a handful of cars that can boast a more substantial rear wing than a McLaren P1™ – the M7C, driven by a man who truly embodied the phrase ‘addicted to winning’, Bruce McLaren, to three podium finishes during the 1969 Formula 1™ season.

Following the global unveiling event by McLaren GT, a range of interviews and activities will take place at the McLaren House. This will include appearances by 2009 Formula 1™ World Champion and McLaren Mercedes driver Jenson Button, who will also drive one of the brand’s latest models up the Hill.

In the grounds of the McLaren House stand will be the McLaren Boutique, where a new range of McLaren P1™ and 650S-inspired products will be on sale for the first time. Visitors to the Festival of Speed will also be able to enjoy food and beverages from the McLaren Coffee House, and watch featured video content throughout the weekend on the stand. McLaren will also be offering a seat in the 204mph 650S Spider for photography, in return for a donation of £2 to Chestnut Tree House (www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk), the selected beneficiary of Goodwood Festival of Speed 2014.

Chestnut Tree House is the only children’s hospice in Sussex and cares for young people from 0-25 years of age with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses. The hospice aims to provide the best quality of life for children, young people and their families, and to offer a total package of practical, social and spiritual support throughout their life, however short it may be.

As in previous years, McLaren will also have a presence in the Supercar Paddock, with two models on display throughout the course of the weekend. A special example of the 650S developed by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), making its debut at the Festival of Speed, will be joined by the McLaren P1™ to line up alongside some of the world’s most exclusive performance cars, and will take part in the dynamic display running up the famous Goodwood Hill throughout the Festival.

Read Press Release 02/18/2015

The track-dedicated 1000PS McLaren P1™ GTR will debut at the 85th International Geneva Motor Show in limited production form with only minor modifications to the Design Concept presented just six months ago. The most noticeable change is the livery that the Geneva show car will be sporting. It is one which will be available to the fortunate few who will be joining the McLaren P1™ GTR Driver Programme that kicks off at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain later this year. The design is homage to the yellow and green McLaren F1 GTR, chassis #06R, which has claimed its own place in history as one of the five F1 GTRs that dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the historic debut by McLaren 20 years ago.

From design concept to the track

The McLaren P1™ GTR has completed an extensive and intense testing schedule across the world following the unveil of the Design Concept at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance last summer. This has produced enhancements to the original design to optimise aerodynamic performance and cooling.

The front track is 80mm wider than the road-going McLaren P1™ and with its aggressively profiled front splitter, the also car sits 50mm lower to the ground on centre-locking 19-inch motorsport alloy wheels shod with Pirelli slick tyres. The lower bodywork is trimmed with a sleek aerodynamic blade as previewed on the design concept, which cleans the flow of air along the car’s flanks.

The lightweight windscreen from the McLaren P1™ road car, measuring just 3.2mm thick, has been retained, while the side windows are now motorsport-specification polycarbonate with a sliding ‘ticket window’ on the driver’s side. The chemically toughened glass panels in the roof have been replaced with carbon fibre panels to give the cabin a more enclosed, cocooned environment, as has the engine bay cover. The weight saving measures on the McLaren P1™ GTR combine to strip out 50kg over the road-going model.

The rear of the track-only model is dominated, in contrast to the road-going McLaren P1™, by the presence of a fixed-height wing which sits more than 400mm above the sculpted rear bodywork – an increase of over 100mm of the adjustable wing on the road car. Working in conjunction with the front-mounted aerodynamic flaps ahead of the front wheels, the rear wing helps to increase downforce levels by more than 10 percent – meaning up to 660kg at 150 mph. Mounted on light weight carbon fibre pylon supports, the wing retains the DRS (Drag Reduction System) of the road car, which trims the pitch from 32° to 0° at the push of the button on the steering wheel. Another bold and differentiating feature at the rear are the large twin exhaust pipes, formed from an Inconel and titanium alloy. This system saves in excess of 6.5kg over the already light road-going system.

Significant updates and modifications to the IPAS powertrain have been made beneath the ‘shrinkwrapped’ carbon fibre bodywork. At its heart, the McLaren P1™ GTR seamlessly integrates the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine with an enhanced lightweight electric motor. Combined, these powerplants generate 1,000PS; 800PS (789bhp) is produced by the petrol engine, coupled to 200PS (197bhp) available immediately from the electric motor.

The powertrain has been thoroughly revised for optimum performance on track, with key components replaced with motorsport-developed parts, more suited to the sustained high speed running the cars will be subjected to. In addition to this, features within the powertrain of the McLaren P1™ designed specifically for public highway use have been removed to reduce weight.

McLaren F1 GTR #06R: inspiring a new generation

McLaren F1 GTR chassis #06R was campaigned successfully throughout the 1995 and 1996 seasons with Mach One Racing, and is one of the longest serving examples of the McLaren F1 GTR in competition. The Harrods-sponsored #51 was famously one of seven McLaren F1 GTRs to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, and was driven to the final podium position by multiple Le Mans race winner Derek Bell, his son Justin, and Andy Wallace. After this result, the team went on to win the final three races of the BPR Championship.

The following year, the team enjoyed another strong campaign. Oliver Grouillard joined Derek Bell and Andy Wallace in the line-up for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and finished a commendable sixth. The team also claimed a win at Silverstone in the Global GT Endurance championship.

McLaren P1™ Driver Programme

The first locations for the first McLaren P1™ Driver Programme have now been confirmed, and will see drivers attend an initial test session at Silverstone, England, followed by the first on-track activity at Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. These events will follow on from individual driver profiling sessions at the McLaren Technology Centre. These tailored consultations will include a race seat fitting, a Human Performance Centre assessment, and final discussions around the design and livery of each model with McLaren Automotive Design Director Frank Stephenson. Each driver will also experience the McLaren P1™ GTR from the simulator for the first time.

Ultimate Series forms the third and final tier of the McLaren model line-up

The McLaren P1™ GTR joins the road-going McLaren P1™ in the Ultimate Series. This exclusive range prioritises aerodynamics and outright performance through notable advances in weight reduction, chassis and powertrain engineering and the use of pioneering materials.

McLaren has now established a three tier naming structure of Sports Series, Super Series and Ultimate Series. The Sports Series is the entry point to McLaren and will make its global debut at the 2015 New York International Auto Show in April. Above this sits the core McLaren Super Series, comprising the 650S, the Asia-only 625C and the recently-announced 675LT which will premiere at the Geneva Motor Show.

The McLaren P1™ GTR will make its global debut alongside the recently announced McLaren 675LT on Stand 1240, Hall 1 at 12.15 CET (11.15 GMT) on Tuesday, 3 March 2015 at the 85th International Geneva Motor Show.